Spicy Roasted Poblano and Jalapeno Corn Chowder

A wooden table, a blue and white bowl with corn chowder is in side. Next to the bowl is a spoon, a red napkin, a bowl of blue corn chips and a large blue pot with the rest of the soup.

This creamy corn chowder accented with roasted jalapenos and poblanos is a spicy twist on a classic soup.

Summer heat waves might make soup seem like an odd choice, but for me, no summer is complete without a comforting bowl of corn chowder. If you live where corn is grown, you know there is nothing better than fresh, sweet corn in summer. And if you’re on the lookout for a unique twist on the classic corn chowder, you’re in for a treat!

My Spicy Roasted Poblano and Jalapeno Corn Chowder is a bold reinvention of the beloved classic soup. Roasted poblanos and jalapeno are a perfect complement to the sweet corn. They infuse the chowder with a gentle heat and subtle smokiness that won’t overpower your taste buds. My husband, my chief taste tester who doesn’t like foods that are too spicy, confirmed that it’s “spicy without being too spicy.”

If you like the flavor of pepper jack cheese or jalapeno poppers, I think you will love this chowder. Next time you are craving a bowl of summer comfort with a spicy twist, Spicy Roasted Poblano and Jalapeno Corn Chowder is just what you need.

The ingredients for Spicy Roasted Poblano and Jalapeno Corn Chowder sit on a table. There is corn on the cob, poblanos, jalapenos, butter, canned diced chilis, flour and chicken stock.

Recipe Ingredients

Corn: Obviously the star of corn chowder, this recipe calls for fresh corn which is best in summer. Fresh corn has a tender yet crisp texture and sweet flavor that make corn chowder delicious.

Jalapenos: Jalapenos (or more correctly, Jalapeños) are a type of chili pepper that originates from Mexico. They are medium-sized, usually green, and known for their mild to moderate heat. It’s the jalapenos in this corn chowder that help to make it a spicy corn chowder.

Poblanos: Another variety of Mexican pepper, Poblanos are known for their mild to medium heat (so less spicy than the jalapenos) and rich, earthy flavor. They are typically dark green and have a somewhat heart-shaped, broad, and slightly wrinkled appearance. Poblanos are appreciated for their deep, rich flavor with a hint of smokiness, especially when roasted like in this chowder.

Canned Diced Green Chilis: Rounding out spicy element of this soup is a can of diced green chilis.

Potatoes: I like to use a yellow waxy potato (like a yukon gold) because they don’t completely disintegrate into the corn chowder after being cooked and add a nice texture.

Scallions: Adding a subtle onion flavor, the white parts of the scallions are cooked into the corn chowder and the green tops are reserved for garnishing at the end.

Butter and Flour: Butter and flour are used at the beginning of the soup to make a roux which helps thicken the chowder and make it creamy.

Chicken Stock: The base of the chowder is chicken stock, which I prefer because I think it adds great flavor, but feel free to make this soup 100% vegetarian by substituting vegetable stock instead.

Heavy Cream: A little bit of heavy cream goes a long way in this dish to both balance out the spicy roasted jalapenos and poblanos and add some additional richness to the chowder.

A cutting board with corn cobs without any kernels. A grey bowl with cut kernels sits nearby

How to Cut Corn on the Cob

I don’t know about you, but for years I thought the correct way to cut corn the cob and remove the kernels was to hold the cob upright (usually in a large bowl or over some stacked bowl situation) and use my knife to slice downward. Where I learned this, I have no recollection, but I do know it felt precarious, never really worked right and corn kernels got everywhere.

These days I do it completely differently. Here is my preferred method:

After shucking your corn, place it kernel side down on a cutting board.
Using a large chef’s knife, hold your knife parallel to your corn cob and slice off one side of the corn kernels.
Rotate the cob so the cut side is down and then cut off another side.
Repeat until all kernels are removed.

If you want a visual on what this looks like, check out this short video of me preparing the corn for this recipe.

How to Roast Jalapenos

There are several ways to roast peppers like jalapenos and poblanos, but since I don’t have easy access to a grill or gas cooktop, my go to method is to broil them in the oven. Here is step by step guidance on how to do that:

Set the oven to broil and lightly coat the peppers in olive oil.
Place peppers on a baking sheet 6 inches from the broiler flame, and broil about 5-10 minutes, flipping every couple minutes until skins are blackened.
Remove peppers from the oven and add them to a bowl covered with a tea towel.
When peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skins (using either just your hands or the sharp edge of a knife).
(Optional) Remove seeds.

Here is a quick video of me roasting the jalapenos and poblanos for this recipe so you can watch this process for yourself.

A close up of a large blue pot with cooked corn chowder.

A blue and white bowl with corn chowder on a wood table. Next two it site a large blue pot with the rest of the soup. A spoon and red napkin also sits nearby.

A close up shot of a spoon with corn and pepper soup. In the background is a bowl of the soup.

Recipe FAQs

I like extra spicy food, how do I add more heat?

To amp up the heat in this recipe, I would suggest leaving the seeds in the jalapenos. The seeds/ribs of the jalapeno are the spiciest part. For this recipe, I like the level of heat you get when you remove them, but leaving them in would definitely make it spicier. You could also sub the mild diced green chilis for a hotter variety.

Do I really need to roast the peppers?

While it might seem like an extra step, roasting the peppers is crucial to creating the sweet, smoky, spicy flavor that makes this chowder so delicious.

Can I use frozen or canned corn?

Yes you can, but since frozen and canned corn are already cooked, I would wait to add them until after the potatoes are fully cooked.

Can I blend the chowder to make it creamier?

While some corn chowder recipes suggest blending to get a creamy texture, I actually prefer to NOT blend my corn chowder. While testing this recipe I tried a version without a roux that blended part of the soup instead and it was chunky and looked almost curdled (since it’s difficult to blend corn completely).

A close up shot of spicy corn chowder topped with sour cream, scallions and blue corn chips.

How to Serve Spicy Roasted Poblano and Jalapeno Corn Chowder

I love serving this spicy corn chowder with the reserved scallion tops, some sour cream to help balance out the heat, and some crunchy blue corn chips (though any variety of corn chips would work here).

Looking for another recipe using delicious summer produce? Check out my Old Fashioned Creamy Cucumber Salad with Mayo and Dill.